Grain cleaner and washer.



P. PROVOST.

GRAIN CLEANER AND WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29. #916.

z fi /g moc f Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

1 onnro,

GRAIN CLEAEEEB AND WASHEB.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented (act, 36 1917,

' Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. 1395M.

To all whom "it may concern.

Be it known that 1, PETER Pnovos'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Cleaners and Vashers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My present invention relates tonew and useful improvements in grain cleaning and washing apparatus more particularly of that type wherein the grain is comingled with water or other cleansing fluid and agitated.

lt is in general the object of my present invention to simplify and otherwise improve the structure and to increase the etilciency of apparatus of this character and it is more specifically an object to provide a grain cleaning apparatus wherein the cleaning operation is effected continuously and at a relatively great speed, and wherein the grain is finally separated from the cleansing water.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

The figure illustrates a vertical sectional view through a grain cleaning machine embodying one form of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, there-is provided a vertical, cylindrical casing 5 having its lower portion laterally enlarged at 6, and disposed in the upper portion of this casing is a funnel shaped hopper 7 which is adapted to receive grain from thedischarge spout 8 extending into the top of the casing and to receive water from the supply pipe 9 extending thereinto. Disposed in the lower portion of the casing. is a funnel shaped partition 10 terminating in a lateral spout 11 extending in the direction of said enlargement 6. Journaled in the spider bearing 12 preferably carried by the bottom 10 and in a bearing 13 carried at the top of the casing is a shaft Mdriven by a belt 15 at its upper end, and carried on this shaft between the hopper 7 and partition 10 is a cylindrical plate 16 at the upper end of which is disposed a closure plate 17 securing it to the shaft. A spider lS secures the lower end of the cylindrical plate to the shaft. Disposed on the outer periphery of.

the cylindrical plate 16 and on the inner adjacent peripheral face of the casing 5 are screen mesh facings 19, the relative diameters of the cylindrical plate and casing heingsuch that an annular space'is formed therebetween of such width as to procure a suiiicient agitation of grain passing therethrough by striking against the screen facings upon rapid rotation of the shaft and cylindrical plate. For separating the co'mingled grain and water upon discharge from the spout 11, an

inclined screen frame 20 is suspended in the casing enlargement 6 by hanger links 21 and is oscillated by a driven crank shaft 22 connected therewith in a suitable manner. The enlargement 6 is provided with an inclined bottom comprising portions 23 and 24 respectively, oppositely extended downwardly from a point adjacent the lower end of the screen frame, and terminating in grain and water discharge spouts 25 and 26 respectively, Thus upon agitation of the screen frame, the grain will move toward the lower end thereof and discharge through the spout 25, and the water will pass through the screen and discharge through the spout 26, possible flow of water along the screen being prevented by a transverse dam wall 27 adjacent the lower end of the screen, which preferably comprises-a single length of relatively large wire, said wall occupying position. approximately vertically above the apex of the oppositely inclined bottom of the casing. In the operation of the machine the water and grain is discharged into the hopper 7 and from thence onto the-plate 17, whence by centrifugal force said grain and water move outwardly thereon to the annular chamber formed by the casing and cylindrical plate 16. In passing through said annular chamber, the rain is thoroughly agitated by striking against the screen mesh facings thereof, due to the rapid rotation-of the cylindrical plate and the grain is discharged through the bottom spout 11 onto screen frame 30 in a thoroughly cleansed condition, and is there separate from the water and finally discharged outwardly from themachine through the spout 25.

It is noted that screen mesh is employed as faci'ngs for the annular chamber only to economically provide suliiciently roughened surfaces, which incidentally are in some instances self-cleansing, and that any roughened surfaces may be employed for the annular chamber.

It is also obvious that although I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, various changes and modifications of structure may be resorted to to meet difiering conditions, without departing in any manner from the spirit of the invention, ,as interpreted by the appended claims.

What is claimed: 1

1. A grain cleaner and washer compris-- ing a vertical casing, the opposite sides of the bottom of said enlarged portion being oppositely inclined from a point adjacent the middle, a grain out-let spout connected with one of the inclined portions of the bottom, a liquid out-let spout connected with the other portion of the bottom, an apertured partition in the lower part ofthe casing immediately above said enlarged portion, a spout carried by the partition and communicating with the aperture therein, said spout discharging in a direction to- Ward the liquid out-let spout, an oscillatory screen in the enlarged portion below said spout carried by the' partition, said spout discharging thereon, means for oscillating the screen, an agitating means in the upper portion of the casing, and means for naaaeaa supplying grain and cleansing fluid to the upper end of the casing.

2. A grain cleaner and washer comprising a vertical casing, the opposite sides of the bottom of said portion being oppositely inclined from a point adjacent the middle, a grain out-let spout connected with one of the inclined portions of the bottom, a liquid outlet spout connected with the other. portion of the bottom, an apertured partition in the lower part of the casing immediately above the enlarged portion, a spout carried by the partition and communicating with the aperture therein, said spout discharging in a direction toward the liquid out-let spout, an oscillatory screen in the enlarged portion below the spout carried by the partition, said spout discharging thereon, said screen being inclined downwardlyv toward the grain out-let spout, means for oscillatin the screen, a transverse dam wall on t e .screen for the pur-' pose set forth said wall occupying aposition approximately vertically above the junction of the inclined portions of the bottom of said enlargedportion of the casing, an agitating means in the upper portion of the casing,

and means for supplying grain and cleansing fluid to the upper end of the casing;

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

' PETER PROVOST. 

